Mask



Nov. 30, 1965 E, STROHM ETAL 3,220,014

MASK

Filed Jan. 30, 1963 1N VENTORS' 3 I 7 w w United States Patent 3,220,014 MASK Eiwood Strohm, Southgate, Ky., and Howard J. Wilkens,

Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

Brunswick Corporation, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 254,932

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-9) This invention relates to masks having a rigid frame member and more particularly is concerned with a mask of the type conventionally used by catchers and umpires for affording the wearer protection.

Baseball masks, and especially the bar-type baseball masks, usually include a circumferential or peripheral frame member having at least one protective member such as a rib extending across the open face area. Bartype masks, which have to a large extent displaced the mesh-type mask because of the lighter weight and better degree of visibility afforded, often include a one-piece rigid member serving as the peripheral frame with the protective member or members integral therewith. Materials of construction are normally lightweight materials such as magnesium, duralumin, other lightweight metals, or the like.

In a bar-type mask, although padding may be disposed between the chin portion of the mask frame and the wearers face, forces of balls striking the chin portion of the frame or chin guard may be transmitted through the padding and injure the wearers jaw, particularly where a solid hit occurs on the chin portion. Although improvement in the padding member may afford some relief, there are limits to the amount or even type of padding which may be satisfactorily used. The present invention is concerned with the problem of improving the mask frame and especially the chin guard to substantially decrease the transmission of impact forces to the wearers chin.

Thus, a general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mask affording additional protection in the chin region.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mask in which a rib arrangement in the chin area structurally strengthens the chin guard and acts to defiect balls therefrom, greatly lessening or even eliminating any adverse effects of solid impacts on the chin guard.

Another object is to provide a baseball mask utilizing the mask of the foregoing objects and having a padding member secured thereto for contact with the face, e.g., forehead, cheeks and chin, of the wearer.

In one embodiment of this invention there is provided a one-piece rigid member having an open frame which has a peripheral portion including a lower chin guard portion on which there is provided a generally horizontal protuberance or rib member. As an advantageous feature, there is provided a mask which may comprise a one-piece rigid open frame including means for securing a padding member thereto wherein the rigid open frame has a chin guard portion, one or more protective bars extending across the frame opening and a pair of parallel generally horizontal ribs on the chin guard portion. Preferably two such protective bars are provided, one above and one below the eye position of the wearer.

In a preferred arrangement, the pair of parallel generally horizontal ribs are disposed on or adjacent the upper and lower edges of the chin guard respectively and each of the ribs has its maximum projection from the chin guard at approximately the center line of the mask with "ice Other objects, embodiments, features and arrangements will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following descriptions and from the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a baseball mask in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of the chin guard of the mask of FIGURE 1 taken along line 22 in FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial horizontal section through the chin guard of the mask of FIGURE 1 along line 33 in FIGURE 2.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

With reference to the drawings for a more detailed description of an embodiment of the mask of this invention, the illustrated mask, which in its entirety is designated generally as 10, comprises an open frame member or contoured open plate 11 which is preferably cast from some lightweight high impact plastic material such as a rigid polyester. The plate is generally oval in contour and includes an upper head projection 12 and a chin guard 18. An upper bar 14 extends transversely just above the eyes of the mask wearer and a lower bar 16 is positioned somewhat below the eyes. Openings designated 13 and 15 are provided respectively over the forehead and for the eyes of the wearer. Side portions of plate 11, designated 19, are adapted to extend beyond the sides of the wearers face.

On chin guard 18 a pair of horizontal ribs 20 and 21 are integral with the chin guard portion 18 of plate 11 and are positioned horizontally adjacent the upper and lower edges of the chin guard. Each of ribs 20' and 21 has its maximum projection from the chin guard at about the center line of plate 11 and each of the ribs tapers to both sides and merges laterally with the chin guard as indicated generally at 22. The tapering of ribs 20 and 21 is sufficient to provide angular surfaces for deflecting a baseball striking the ribs for minimizing solid hits on the chin guard especially from the front of the mask.

A mouth opening is provided generally between chin guard 18 and horizontal protective bar 16 and is defined laterally by plate sides 19. A pair of vertical bars or brace members brace the .protective bar 16 from chin guard 18, the braces defining the limits of lateral openings 27 and central opening 25. Braces 23 and 24 are integral parts of plate 11 and merge with bar 16 and chin guard 18 at their upper and lower ends respectively. The connection of the lower ends of braces 23 and 24 with chin guard 18 is adjacent the outer merging ends of horizontal rib 20. Vertical braces 23 and 24, chin guard 18, and horizontal protective bar 16 define the generally oval opening 25 in the frame which serves as a mouth opening, along with lateral openings 27 which may also be described as generally oval.

The mask of this invention may also include padding, especially where the mask is used as a baseball mask. Such padding is utilized to protect the face and head of the wearer from the shocks of balls hitting the mask and is selectively disposed to provide sufficient protection and at the same time allow a substantial ventilating space.

The small upper pad designated 29 is adapted to extend across the interior of upper head projecting portion 12 to cushion this portion of plate 11. The upper pad 29 is secured to portion 12 by a pair of flaps 2'7 and 2S and a snapper 30.

The middle or brow pad, designated 31, is adapted to extend across the brow of the mask wearer, and depends downwardly on the side edges only enough to provide sutficient anchorage. Brow pad 31 is held in place by means of flaps 32 and 33 which encircle portions of the open plate 11, e.g., bar 14 and the peripheral portions of plate 11. Flaps 33 are secured to flaps 34 by snaps 35.

The lower pad or chin pad 36 is adapted to fit the area between the wearers mouth and the point of his chin.

The side portions of the pad extend upwardly only sufficiently to provide a firm anchorage, having a substantial space between their upper ends and the lower ends of pad 31. Pad 36 is held in position by flaps 37 and 38 which encircle lateral portions of plate 11 through openings 27 and are fastened to each other by means of snaps 40.

A harness arrangement is provided for holding the mask firmly in position on the head. This arrangement includes the strap 41 which extends around the back of the wearers head and an interconnecting strap 42 secured thereto at the sides of the wearers head and extending over the top of the head. A third strap 43 is passed through an aperture 44 in an upward extension 45 of the upper protective bar 14 and is secured in position by buckle 46. The third strap 43 is extended rearwardly over the top of the head and secured to the strap 41 in the back.

Releasable fastenings such as straps 4-7 and buckles 48 may be provided on strap 41. Straps 47, which are extensions of the strap 41 on both ends of strap 41, are adapted to encircle side portions 19 of member 11 and are maintained in position by means of buckles 48. While it is possible to omit the releasable fastening, or to provide it on only one end of strap 41, which releasable fastening is adjustable to provide for fitting of the straps to various sizes of wearers heads, it is preferred to provide such adjustable fastenings on both ends of strap 41 so that adjustment may be made while still maintaining strap 43 reasonably centrally across the wearers head.

The entire arrangement of the straps forms a pocket-like construction which conforms to the hack and sides of the head, holding the mask firmly in position. The mask is held firmly in position against outward slipping by the strap 43 which serves to maintain the mask in the proper position at all times to thereby minimize the possibility of injury to the head by thrown balls or foul tips.

It is evident from the foregoing that the present invention has provided a new and useful mask including improved protection in the chin guard area, especially as a result of one or more horizontal ribs on the chin guard portion.

We claim:

1. A mask comprising a one-piece rigid open frame adapted for securing a padding member thereto for padded contact with the face of the wearer, said rigid frame having a peripheral portion including a lower chin guard extending across and covering the wearers chin, said chin guard having a front face, and generally horizontal deflector rib means projecting forwardly from the front face of the chin guard for deflecting a ball striking said deflector rib means and thereby minimizing a solid front hit.

2. The mask of claim 1 including a padding member on said frame for contact with the face of the wearer and means releasably securing the padding member to the frame in a position leaving said rib means uncovered by said padding member and securing means.

3. A mask comprising a one-piece rigid open frame adapted for securing thereto :1 padding member disposed to contact the face of the wearer, said rigid frame having a lower portion shielding the chin of the wearer, a protective bar extending across the frame opening in front of the face position of the wearer and below the eye position of the wearer, and a pair of parallel, generally horizonal deflector ribs on the lower portion of the frame pointed bluntly forward and tapering laterally to gradually merge with the outer surface of said lower portion and properly spaced from each other to deflect a baseball striking the ribs whereby a solid front hit will be minimized.

4. A mask comprising a generally bilaterally symmetrical one-piece rigid plastic open frame including means for securing thereto a padding member adapted to contact the forehead, cheeks and chin of the wearer, said open frame extending beyond the side of the wearers face and including a chin guard for shielding the cheek and chin of the wearer and including a front chin guard surface, two generally horizontal protective bars extending across and integral with the open frame in front of the face position of the wearer respectively above and below the eye position of the wearer, a pair of spaced generally parallel horizontal integral ribs on the front chin guard surface along the upper and lower edges of the chin guard and terminating short of the wearers check, each of said ribs having its maximum projection from the chin guard at a blunt point at the center-line of said mask and each tapering to both sides and merging laterally with the chin guard, the tapering and spacing of said ribs being sufiicient to deflect a baseball striking said ribs and minimize solid front hits on the chin guard, and a pair of integral vertical brace members bracing the lower of said protective bars from the chin guard adjacent the outer merging ends of the upper one of said ribs.

5. A mask comprising a one-piece rigid casting having a face, an opposing side and an open frame, padding material on said opposing side adapted to contact the forehead, cheeks and chin of the wearer, and means releasably securing said padding material to said opposing side, said rigid casting including a chin guard portion having a pair of spaced generally parallel horizontal deflector ribs on the face thereof and connate therewith for deflecting a ball striking the front of said chin guard at any position on the chin guard front, said padding terminating short of said ribs and leaving said ribs exposed to direct ball contact.

6. A baseball mask of the bar type comprising: a onepiece rigid plastic arcuate open plate of generally oval outline configuration having a generally convex outer side and a generally concave opposing inner side, the lower portion of said plate when secured in position on a wearers head extending over the wearers chin and extending laterally for shielding the wearers cheeks and lower jaw, a pair of spaced arcuate parallel horizontal ribs on the outer side of said lower portion, each rib having an arcuate surface projecting outwardly from said lower portion of the plate toward the center of said mask, the arcuate surfaces of said ribs being sufficient to deflect a baseball striking said ribs for'minimizing solid front hits on said lower portion of the plate, means for securing the plate in position on the wearers face, said means including side portions of the plate defining the side limits of an eye-line aperture and adapted to receive a strap through the eye-line aperture and around said side portions, said strap being adjustable to a plurality of sizes for extending laterally around the sides of the wearers head, a strap receiving aperture in said plate positioned centrally above said one aperture, a second strap interconnected with said first strap and adapted to extend from said strap receiving aperture from in front of the brow of the wearers head across the top to the back of the head, the point of connection of said second strap with said first strap being at about the rearmost portion of the first strap, said first and secon i straps [forming a pocket-like construction holding the mask securely against the wearers face, a horizontal protective bar across the lower limit of an eye-line aperture in said plate, a pair of generally vertically disposed brace portions supporting said protective bar from said lower plate portion against impact and defining a mouth aperture in said plate, a second protective bar defining the upper limit of said eye-line aperture and including said strap aperture, a plurality of padding members secured to the concave inner side of said plate and conforming generally to the forehead, jaw, cheek and chin portions of the inner side of said plate generally within the limits of the plate interior whereby the padding is protected against direct impact, and third strap means secured to each of said padding members and passing around the open frame and second protective rib, and means on said third strap means releasably securing said padding members to the inner side of said plate to provide a cushion between said plate and the wearers face.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,812 4/ 1924 Goodman 29 1,775,009 9/1930 Weber 29 2,020,249 11/ 1935 Shibe 29 2,028,462 1/1936 Malcolm 29 2,502,377 3/ 1950 Goldsmith et al. 29 2,627,602 2/ 1953 Goldsmith 29 2,839,755 6/ 1958 Steriss 29 3,041,623 7/ 1962 Glahe 2-9 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MASK COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE RIGID OPEN FRAME ADAPTED FOR SECURING A PADDING MEMBER THERETO FOR PADDED CONTACT WITH THE FACE OF THE WEARER, SAID RIGID FRAME HAVING A PERIPHERAL PORTION INCLUDING A LOWER CHIN GUARD EXTENDING ACROSS AND COVERING THE WEARER''S CHIN, SAID CHIN GUARD HAVING A FRONT FACE, AND GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DEFLECTOR RIB MEANS PROJECTING FORWARDLY, FROM THE FRONTG FACE OF THE CHIN GUARD FOR DEFLECTING A BALL STRIKING SAID DEFLECTOR RIB MEANS AND THEREBY MINIZING A SOLID FRONT HIT. 